Dry Dock Brewing of Aurora has the flag; Left Hand Brewing of Longmont has the eagle.

Both breweries have created beers to fund special patriotic causes for military veterans.

Dry Dock Brewing will introducing Colorado Freedom Memorial Blonde Ale just in time for Memorial Day to support the Colorado Freedom Memorial — a 12-foot tall, 95-foot wide glass monument in Aurora’s Springhill Community Park that memorializes the sacrifice of 6,000 Colorado veterans killed in action since 1876.

One dollar from every bomber sold will go to the Colorado Freedom Memorial Fund.

As a special tribute, the brewery worked with the memorial owners to obtain approval to use the image of the American flag on the label. This is significant because the Alcohol and Tobacco tax and Trade Bureau prohibits the use of the flag on beer labels unless permission is specifically granted by the United States federal government, according to a press release by Dry Dock.

Left Hand’s Homefront IPA is raising money and awareness for Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit providing emergency assistance to military families and wounded warriors.Read more…

Colorado Springs-based Trinity Brewing, which has won awards and admiration for its artisanal ales and deep roster of saisons, is laying plans for a second location in Denver that also would serve as a hub for out-of-state distribution.

Founder and head brewer Jason Yester confirmed Trinity is targeting 2016 for its ambitious Denver project, which he said would likely involve a 30-barrel brewing system in a roughly 8,000 square-foot space in a warehouse district.

As if that is not enough to get Denver beer geeks salivating, note that Trinity operates under a brewpub license. Yester’s beers pair extremely well with food – they feature at craft beer-friendly restaurants such as The Kitchen in Denver – and Yester said he’s already spoken with chefs interested in forging a partnership in the Mile High City.

The present has finally arrived for Former Future Brewing, the long-in-planning South Broadway start-up with the vintage vibe and science nerd background that has built buzz through networking and pouring at festivals.

Former Future announced a soft opening of its tap room for Saturday followed by a grand opening Friday, Feb. 7.

Owner and head brewer James Howat is a microbiologist and longtime homebrewer. His wife, Sarah, handles the marketing.

As 2013 comes to an end, we’re once again asking leading figures on the Colorado beer scene to reflect on the past year and look ahead to next. This eighth installment in the Beer in Review features Kevin Delange of Dry Dock Brewing, which expanded in a big way this year opening a $4.5 million, 40-barrel production brewery in Aurora. The one-time Great American Beer Festival small brewery of the year (2009) took home another five medals this year. Here are Kevin’s picks:

As 2013 comes to an end, we’re once again asking leading figures on the Colorado beer scene to reflect on the past year and look ahead to next. This sixth installment in the Beer in Review comes from Charlie Berger, head brewer and co-owner of Denver Beer Co. The brewery is primed for a big 2014 with the planned opening of a new production brewery and cans soon to come. Charlie said he took a pass on new Colorado brewery of the year because he hasn’t been out and about enough. Here are his picks:

John Legnard and Tom Hail of The SandLot (Eric Gorski, The Denver Post)

Updated: Monday, Oct. 14

The Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year winner at this year’s Great American Beer Festival competition produced fewer than 3,000 barrels on site.

The distinction goes to The SandLot, the little brewery in a corner of Coors Field that competes in the large brewery category because it is part of MillerCoors. As brewer Tom Hail likes to say, it’s “The Puerto Rico of Coors.”

In all, Colorado breweries took home 46 medals at this year’s GABF, second only to California with 52, according to Barbara Fusco of The Brewers Association, which stages the prestigious competition. Results were announced Saturday.

In case you haven’t heard, we’ve just released a new iPad app that serves as a guide to metro Denver’s bountiful breweries, beer bars and bottle shops, the holy trinity of craft beer enjoyment for followers and fans.

If some of the material feels familiar, you are a good First Drafts reader. Some of it has appeared in some form on this blog dating to our founding back in November 2011. There’s lots new, too. A few highlights from The Denver Post Beer Guide:

The Richards twins and their State Fair hardware (provided by Echo Brewing Co.)

In spring 2012, twin brothers and laid-off IBM employees Dennis and Daniel Richards opened Echo Brewing Company in the small Weld County town of Frederick with a simple guiding principle: brew one fine beer followed by another while sharing them with the local community.

The locals heartily approve – and so do judges at beer competitions.

The brewery’s most popular beer, Balefire Irish Red, won a bronze medal at last year’s Great American Beer Festival and took Best in Show this past weekend in the increasingly competitive Colorado State Fair craft beer competition in Pueblo.

Our new iPad app serves as a guide to metro Denver’s bountiful breweries, beer bars and bottle shops, the holy trinity of craft beer enjoyment for followers and fans. Download the app for iPad .
Next time you head for a beer in Boulder, don’t forget your friend, Beers of Boulder and Boulder County, an iPad app from the Daily Camera. Download the app for iPad .

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In Colorado, our pint glasses overflow with excellent beer. New breweries, new batches, festivals every other week. How lucky are we? First Drafts is The Denver Post's beer blog aimed at helping you keep tabs on the state's ever-expanding craft beer culture. We offer a mash of news, event coverage, homegrown stories, tasting notes and tips to help you imbibe. Expert drinker or homebrewer? Let us know what you're loving about Colorado's beer scene. Not sure exactly what a firkin is? No worries, let us be your guide. Go ahead. Belly up and drink it in!